


A New Life

by wut_r_words



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Apologies, Awkward Sexual Situations, Bad Cooking, Bad Jokes, Best Friends, Childhood Friends, Developing Relationship, Dorks in Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Goats, Hiking, LGBT, Love Confessions, Love Story, M/M, Mean Boss, Minor Original Character(s), Moving, New Job, New Year's Fluff, New Year's Kiss, Party, Post-Recovery Bucky Barnes, Realization, Safe Haven, Stargazing, Wakanda, Winter Festival, snowstorm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-07-20 14:58:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16139651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wut_r_words/pseuds/wut_r_words
Summary: Steve gazed at Bucky, and noticed how little streaks of deep blue cut through his otherwise ice blue eyes. He remembered Bucky back in the nineteenth century, and realized that his eyes used to be brown. Just another part of him that HYDRA had taken away. He broke his gaze away when Bucky did, and accepted the hand he offered to help him up. Steve tried to ease the awkwardness with a laugh, and couldn't help thinking-No. He was not going to imagine what it would be like to kiss his best friend.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm aiming for about ten chapters with this work, but I'll keep you posted. Have fun!

“He’s in here,” Shuri told him. She paused. “Just know that we weren’t able to heal him completely, so you’ll have to go to weekly meditation or therapy.”

”Okay.” Steve said after a pause. _Whatever it takes to get Bucky back._

Shuri looked at him in that strange way once more, then pushed a button on the wall that appeared invisible. She then entered a code, and a chunk of vibranium slid back to reveal a doorway. 

Steve bowed his head once respectfully to the girl, and stepped inside the room. 

It was relatively plain, but in the corner, a large tube stood against a wall. Bucky’s relaxed features were concealed inside the tube. Steve laid his hand on the case, unable to bear having him so close without being able to interact.

“When will he be awake?” Steve croaked. He hadn’t expected to get so emotional. 

“He should be awake any minute now,” Shuri answered. She was messing with some digital scans and test results, and was completely engrossed with her work. Shuri clicked on something, and turned off her tablet. “I have to go.” She gestured to a silver circle on the wall “Touch that when he wakes up.”

Steve nodded absentmindedly; his hand still tracing Bucky’s features on the glass. He was dimly aware of Shuri closing the door behind her.

He didn’t know how long he stood there, waiting. Maybe minutes, maybe hours. His only thoughts were about Bucky.

Finally, Bucky’s eyes twitched, then fluttered open. He stared up at Steve’s smiling face, but he seemed to not believe his eyes.  _Bucky._

Steve nearly burst with happiness, and he felt tears welling up in his eyes. He pressed the circle, and a team of medics burst in immediately. He stepped aside as they attended to Bucky, rotating the tube on its side. They clicked on something in a hologram, and the bed that Bucky was on slid out. 

Bucky’s eyes flickered across the room, and then settled on Steve once again. “Steve,” He whispered, still unbelieving. “Steve!” He jumped up from the bed, and tackled Steve in a bear hug. 

Steve held onto him, tears threatening to spill over the rim of his eyes. “Yeah, it’s me. I’ve got you.”

"Oh god, it feels good to be in your arms again." Bucky whispered. 

Bucky pulled away too soon for Steve’s liking. His face was serious. “How long was I under?” 

Oh. 

Steve paused before answering. “Thirteen months,” He said solemnly. _T_ _wenty seven days, and nine hours._ Not that he was counting, or anything. 

Bucky looked down sadly. “Thirteen months.” He repeated. The smile on his face held no humor. “I was gone for thirteen months.” 

Steve touched his hand reassuringly. “And I would wait twice that, if it meant getting you back.” 

He pulled Bucky into another hug. “You know I’d do the same for you.” Bucky whispered into his ear. 

—————

The two friends walked along the corridors of the Wakandan palace, admiring the city through the picturesque windows. Steve’s arm was thrown over Bucky’s shoulders, and Bucky leaned into the touch happily. 

“So we're still fugitives?” Bucky asked. 

Steve nodded sadly. “Yeah.” His jaw clenched at the unfairness of their situation. “It’s okay, though. T’challa has agreed to keep us hidden from the authorities. Besides, this is a foreign country. They don’t have power here.” 

Steve didn’t sound as confident as he had hoped to, and he saw that he hadn’t done a great job at convincing Bucky, either.

”I don’t know, Steve. What if...” He trailed off, and then took a deep breath. “I don’t want to lose you again.”

Steve merely nodded, and felt lame at his loss for words. 

They rounded the corner, and stepped into the throne room. T’Challa was sitting on the throne itself, and he was surrounded by his legion of warriors. 

Steve and Bucky approached T’Challa carefully, unsure of the tradition in Wakanda. 

“I see your feeling better?” T’Challa asked Bucky. He smiled. 

“Yes. Thank you, your Highness.” Bucky replied formally. 

“We’ve arranged a room for you to stay in, at least for a while. For until you get back on your feet.” T’Challa’s mother was standing beside the throne. She nodded to one of the warriors. “She will take you there.”

”I beg your pardon,” Bucky fidgeted with his white tank top. “But I would like to ask if Steve could stay with me.”

Steve was taken aback, and T’Challa shared a glance with his mother, before nodding. 

“Steve may stay with you if you’d like.” He said. 

Bucky looked up at Steve, and smiled ever so slightly. “I can’t do this without you.” He whispered, quietly enough so that only Steve could hear.

Steve tried to respond, but the warrior nodded to them. “Come. It’s this way.”

 

—————

 

The room was near the top of the building, and there were two walls that when their meeting corners was one big window, and some of the floor was glass, too. There was a small modernish kitchen, and a hallway cut next to it, connecting the two bedrooms. Steve’s duffle bag sat on the counter. 

“I must go now.” The warrior informed them. She turned to Bucky. “Your first meditation session starts tomorrow.” With that, she turned, and walked swiftly out the door. 

“I thought they healed me all the way.” Bucky said quietly. 

“Well, I guess there are limits to what even they can do.” Steve replied in the same manner. 

Bucky's eyes met his. “I guess." He furrowed his brow, and looked away. "I just wish I could be done sooner, so you could get on with your life."

Steve clutched Bucky's wrist, pulling him closer. "Hey. I'm not going anywhere, okay? I spent the last year on the run. I want to stay here. With you."

"Thanks. That means a lot to me." 

The two boys gazed into each others eyes, just for a second, before Steve looked away. 

He turned to the cabinets in the kitchen. "What should we eat?" He asked. There was a panel installed in the wall, and Steve clicked on it experimentally. It lit up, displaying a variety of food items from crackers to fresh fruit. He clicked on one of the options, an orange, and a slot to the side of the panel opened up, and a perfectly ripe orange hurdled out of it. Steve startled visibly.

The sound of Bucky snickering behind Steve made him turned around, his eyes narrowed. "What. I wasn't expecting the wall to throw stuff at me. Would you have reacted any differently?"

Even though his words were blunt, the twinkle in his eyes gave away how happy he was to see Bucky laughing. Bucky noticed too, and it reminded him of that little boy in Brooklyn who couldn't run from a fight. He shook his head, dismissing the melancholy feeling. He wasn't with that Steve now, he was with this Steve, and he wanted to enjoy every minute of it.

"You know I wouldn't have." Bucky eyed Steve's duffle bag. "I think I'm gonna need clothing."

Steve snorted. "We'll go get something for you around town." He looked back at the food dispenser. "And we're gonna have to ask Shuri to help us with these things."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will probably be posted soon-ish, definitely before Friday.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been six days since Bucky had come out of the Cyro-freeze, and Steve had left about an hour earlier to run errands. Bucky had grown to like the daily routine, waking up and seeing Steve, going to therapy with Steve, eating lunch downtown with Steve, spending the afternoon with Steve, and reading while Steve drew before going to bed. He got his afternoons to himself, though. He enjoyed the peace, and being able to have his thoughts to himself for a while.

Bucky sat in the middle of the room, the candlelight casting everything in a buttery glow. The smell of incense drifted through the air, and there was a recording of soothing music playing softly in the background. Bucky had drawn the shades, so the room was shielded temporarily from the blazing summer sun.  _Thank god fall is coming soon. I don't know how much longer I can stand this heat._

He cleared his mind of all his thoughts.  _Breathe in for four seconds, hold for four seconds, out for four seconds, wait for four seconds._ He recited the instructions for his meditation in his head. The steady melody of the music surrounded him, holding the feeling of winter mountains over a lake, or a huge river flowing between hills. 

Bucky's eyes cracked open when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. He recognised the gait quickly. 

Bucky sighed, and stood up, turning off the music. He blew the candles out, and opened the curtains, allowing the golden late afternoon sunlight to pour into the room. He turned at the sound of the door unlocking.

"Honey, I'm home!" Steve called in a ridiculous deep voice.

"Very funny," Bucky groaned sarcastically, although a thin smile still lingered on his lips. 

"You know I am," Steve teased right back. He lifted up one of the bags of groceries he was holding. "A vender got me a recipe for a thing called kitfo, and it seems like it might not be too hard to make. She gave me a sample." 

Bucky recalled the last time Steve had tried to cook something recommended by the locals. Steve had left it on the stove too long, and the food came out way too salty, because the lid on the shaker fell off when Steve was measuring it over the pan. The memory made a laugh bubble up inside of him.

“Hmm. ‘Not too hard’ sounds like something you’ll need.” Bucky smirked. 

“Shut up.”

Bucky smirked wider, but let the matter rest without too much friendly jabbing. 

"Why don’t I help with dinner a little? I’ve done my meditation for today, and I don’t have anything better to do.”

“Sure. I’d love the help.”

A few minutes later, Bucky was chopping away at the slice of beef, and humming softly to himself. Steve was helping by putting the groceries into the ‘fridge’ for now, and he would help later with other things. They worked in comfortable silence, but it was broken by a dull thud and a surprised yelp. 

Bucky chuckled. “Something go wrong over there, Stevie? Need my help?”

“This stupid thing doesn’t like my apple.” Steve complained.

"Hmm. Let me try." Bucky crouched down beside Steve, picked the apple from off the floor, and shoved it into the slot. Immediately, it shot right back out, but Bucky caught it in a flash. The apple split into pieces, revealing the rotten core. "Well, I guess the machine was right."

Steve looked at the apple, and gave a nervous laugh, his fear of the new tech showing. "I guess."

The food was definitely worth making again, and Bucky was snuggled up next to Steve on the couch, his belly comfortably full. Steve's arm was around him, and he was reminded of the quiet nights at the bar back in 1941, when the two friends could be as intimate as they wished without watchful eyes chastising them. They had decided to watch a tv show instead of their normal routine, and were watching an episode of  _The Office,_ but Steve had already drifted off.

Bucky looked up at his relaxed features, and noticed a scar on his lip that he had gotten in god knows what fight. With a sigh, he turned off the television, and scooped Steve up in his arms. He carried him down the short hallway where it branched out, one bedroom on one side and one on the other. He set Steve down gently on his bed, and pulled the covers over him. Bucky switched off the lights by the doorway, and was startled by a strange longing to lie next to Steve.  _It's just because we've been separated, and our friendship is coming back._ He told himself.  _Nothing more._

_\-----_

Bucky opened his eyes, and peered at the clock on his bedside table.  _Six._ _Not a bad time to wake up._ He threw the covers off of himself and changed into his clothing quickly. The store-owner had suggested that they buy some traditional clothes, since it was made to be able to shield you from the ice or sun. The clothing draped over Bucky's form loosely, but at least it was comfortable. 

He wandered down into the kitchen, and put a package of coffee grounds into the machine, and it poured his coffee with a soft hiss. He took a sip of it.  _Perfect._  

Bucky sat at the table that stood facing the windows. From where he was, he had not only a beautiful view of the city, but one of the sunrise as well. The sky was a light rosy pink, signaling the approach of the rising sun. 

It wasn't until a while after the sun was above the hills when Bucky heard Steve enter the room. 

"Morning," Steve said cheerfully, though his voice was gruff from underuse. 

"Morning." Bucky replied absentmindedly.

"So I was thinking," Steve started as he prepared himself a cup of coffee as well. "that since we still have a while until the therapy session, we could go on a hike in the forest. How does that sound?"

Bucky turned to face him, a smile on his lips. "That sounds lovely. When do you want to leave?"

Steve shrugged before joining Bucky at the dining table. "I dunno. Whenever we're ready."

Bucky took another sip of his coffee. "How'd you sleep?"

"Quite well, actually. How about you?"

"Better,"

Steve nodded. "Still waking up early and going to sleep late?"

"Mhm." There it was again. That strange emotion.  _Its nothing._ Bucky told himself fiercely.  _It's normal._

 

A few minutes later, the pair was wandering down the streets of Wakanda City, and a sparse crowd bustled around them. Bucky had a small backpack slung over his shoulder, containing two bottles of water. Steve was walking closely beside him, and his fingers were loosely intertwined with Bucky's.

Soon, the city streets merged into forest, and the sidewalk morphed into a dirt path. Birds sang around them, and morning sunlight streaked through the branches. A cool breeze swept the forest, signaling the return of fall.

"It's beautiful out here," Bucky breathed. In the distance, the trees opened up to reveal a herd of elephants. 

"Yeah." Steve replied. 

The two men talked for a while, drifting from subject to subject. Bucky felt drawn to Steve, in a way he hadn't before. He took no notice, of course, and just assumed that it was because he was getting a close friendship back. The path wound around the hills, drifting around the city perimeter. It eventually merged back into city, and before he knew it, Bucky was walking around the familiar quarters in the guest wing of the palace. 

"That was really nice. We should do it again soon." Steve said when they entered their apartment. 

"Definitely," Bucky agreed. Neither of them were too sweaty after the hike, which was good, because they had to leave to go to the special therapy session promptly. 

\-----

They arrived at the special medical wing right on time, and found Bucky's therapist waiting at the entrance to the tank. "Good afternoon. How are you, Mr.Barnes?" She asked formally.

"Good," He mumbled. He'd been glued to Steve's side for the whole walk, due to the nervousness pumping through him. 

"Glad to hear it." She gave a swift nod. "Now, please take a quick shower before entering the tank. Just fifteen minutes, for today, but we might go longer next time. When the fifteen minutes is up, I'll come get you." With that, she turned and walked authoritatively out of the room, leaving the two men alone.

"I'll be right out here, so just call my name if you need something." Steve started, but Bucky cut him off with a shake of his head.

"I need you to come in." Bucky said quietly. "I-I don't think I can do it alone."

Steve's face softened, and he smiled down at Bucky fondly. "Okay."

After a rinse off in the shower, Bucky stood outside of the tank, clutching Steve's hand anxiously. 

"You ready?" Steve asked gently.

Bucky met his eyes, and gave a cautious smile. "Ready."

Hand in hand, they stepped into a small space. There were no lights on above the water, but it cast plenty of light itself. A hidden speaker played soft soothing music. Small stairs lead down into the water, and Steve took the first few steps into the waist-high warm water. He held out a hand to Bucky. "Come on in, Buck. It's really nice."

Bucky took his hand, and sank into the warm water. In a peaceful silence, they floated on their backs, the salt increasing the buoyancy. Steve's arm was linked with Bucky's, so that they didn't float away from each other. All too soon, the therapist came back in, signaling the end of their session.

\-----

After they had taken longer showers at home, Steve and Bucky went out in the city to get lunch. They found a restaurant on the corner of the street, across from a dessert place they were going to try. 

Sitting down at lunch, Steve asked, "Bucky, what's it like to be in love?"

Bucky thought about the question for a while. "Well, when you love someone, your heart skips a beat when you see them." He traced his fork over his napkin idly. "Your tongue gets tied, and you're noticeably happier around them than without them."

Steve nodded. "I guess I really did love Peggy, then."

"Do you still think about her often?" Bucky asked curiously.

Steve looked out at the streets of bustling people. "Sometimes."

A weird emotion struck Bucky in the gut. A slight twinge of jealousy- no, that can't be right. Not jealous, just.. sad for a friend. That's what it is. 

The rest of the conversation was uneventful, and Bucky seemed to be drifting through it in a haze of contentment. 

"Ugh, I'm stuffed." Steve groaned when they finished their meal.

Bucky nodded in agreement. "Lets try the desert place tomorrow, then." 

"That sounds like a great idea."

\-----

That night, they decide to just have a few pieces of fruit for dinner, due to the late lunch. They settle down on the couch, and Bucky picked up his favorite novel. It would have been hard to find a book this old, if it hadn't been for the internet, connecting everything. Bucky still didn't feel totally comfortable using it, but he wasn't afraid to, like Steve. Even though Shuri insisted that her new tech tablet would be better for sketching than a simple sketchbook, Steve still insisted on using a normal one. He was lying next to Bucky, his head on the arm rest, and his feet draped over Bucky's. Bucky was happy with the touch, and tried to relax and lose himself in his book.

He appeared to have succeeded, Because he looked up a while later to see the moon had changed position drastically.

"Maybe we should go to bed." Bucky suggested.

Steve pouted. "Don't wanna."

Bucky laughed. "What are you, four? We need sleep."

Steve slapped his arm playfully, closing his sketchbook. "Fine. G'night, Buck."

"G'night, Steve."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out. Probably about 4-8 days?


	3. Chapter 3

Steve wandered through the supermarket, humming. He picked up a few fruits from a stand, thanked and payed the vendor, and moved on. He was in an unusually good mood that day, for some reason. He always enjoyed walking the streets of Wakanda, but today he felt light and floaty, without a care in the world.

As he headed home, he thought about how much he enjoyed his new life. It was so simple compared to his last one, when he was always on the run and fleeing the government. For the first time in years, Steve finally felt like he was doing what he wanted to do, and could do it without severing any major commitments. He was already out of the Avengers, so that was off the list, leaving Sam, Natasha, Wanda, and Scott, and he was still in touch with them. In fact, they would be visiting in a couple of weeks.

The trees around Steve were bare, mostly. Some still clung to a few leaves stubbornly, but soon winter would set in. 

He walked the now-familiar hallways briskly, carrying a bag in each hand. He went to unlock the door, but found that it was already ajar.

Steve peeked his head into the room. "Hello?" He called.

He heard movement, and slipped all the way inside the room, closing the door behind him. "Hello?"

He saw the familiar shape of Bucky's silhouette in the doorway, and let out a sigh of relief. "Bucky? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at therapy?" 

Bucky moved out of the shadows, the weak sunlight lighting the small grin on his face. "I wanted to surprise you," He said. "I finished my last therapy session today."

Steve dropped his bags and pulled Bucky into a ferocious hug. "Bucky, that's great!" He exclaimed happily. 

"Yeah. And now we can actually explore Wakanda more, and maybe even settle in somewhere."

By the time Steve pulled away, Bucky was able to hide his blush a little, but it was enough to escape Steve's attention. "That's a great idea. Maybe we can talk to T'Challa and see what he recommends."

\-----

"Moving out? I was starting to think you'd stay forever." T'Challa said goodheartedly. 

"Yes, well, I think it's probably time to get a life." Steve replied.

"Thank you so much for letting us stay for two months," Bucky added. "We really couldn't have done it without you."

T'Challa gave an awkward smile. "I think I had a bit of a debt to repay."

"Debt or not, it was very generous, and we thank you deeply." Steve bowed his head once respectfully.

"I've done some digging," Shuri cut in. "and found out that there's an open spot out in the hills. How would you two boys like to herd and tend to goats?" 

Steve looked at Bucky for confirmation, and he nodded quickly, barely meeting his eye. 

"That sounds great." Steve said. 

Shuri gave a small smile, then nodded. "Right this way."

She turned on her heels, walking swiftly out of the room. Steve looked to T'Challa, who nodded, telling him he should follow Shuri. Steve quickly bowed his head in return, and then rushed out to follow Shuri, Bucky trailing behind. 

Shuri led them onto the airport behind the castle. It wasn't as big as your normal airport would be, because instead of planes, they had spaceships, and they don't need a runway to take off.

"Asha will take you from here." Shuri said. A beautiful woman stepped out from a nearby spaceship and crossed her arms over her chest. Steve and Bucky mirrored her gesture. 

"I am Asha. Pleased to meet you. Come."

Without waiting for them to return her greeting, she disappeared back into the ship. It was small, but not because it was outdated. It had the feeling of a shuttle-bus. 

"Buckle up, m-" Asha stopped herself, but quickly recovered. "boys. It'll be a short ride, but technically we still need to be safe." 

Steve noticed the way Bucky was looking at her, and felt a strange wave of protectiveness. He willed it away, and prodded Bucky with his elbow when she'd turned her back.

"What?" He said sharply, and Steve giggled slightly.

"I saw that look. You were totally checking her out." He teased.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Bucky grumbled.

"Alright. Have it your way." Steve pretended to back off, which only made Bucky pout more. 

They sat in silence for a while. Bucky was leaning into Steve, and had his head rested on his shoulder. Steve was playing with Bucky's hair fondly.

"And we're coming in for a landing, boys." Asha said cheerfully. "Prepare to see your new home."

as the shuttle landed, Steve held Bucky's hand slightly, his fingertips just barely touching Bucky's. The hanger slowly lowered onto the grass below them, revealing a beautiful paradise. 

The ship was parked in the middle of a field, which rolled down a hillside just behind them. It overlooked a lush valley, and birdsong swam around them. In the distance, the city's skyline was a grey silhouette. In front of the ship, a small neighborhood was perched along another hillside, and a lake was to the left of the ship. 

"Thank you for taking us here, Asha." Steve said formally. To his surprise, she walked right out beside them, and up along the trail to the neighborhood. 

She turned around and saw the confusion on Steve's face. "Oh, I live here too, you know." She laughed. "Did you think I was just a bus driver?"

Steve shifted his weight awkwardly, and she waved her hand. "Don't worry, everyone does."

A little kid came bouncing out of one of the houses. "Mommy!" He squealed.

"Hi, honey!" She said, scooping him up. "Everything okay? Is Daddy home?"

"Uh-huh!" The little boy pointed behind him. "He's making dinner."

"Well, come on! Let's go inside." Asha looked up from her boy, and waved to Steve and Bucky, before following her child back into the house.

"Looks like your out of luck." Steve smirked.

"Zip it." Bucky growled. 

"Okay, okay." Steve backtracked, surprised at the ferocity of Bucky's response. 

Bucky held up a piece of paper, and began walking towards a house a bit apart from the rest. "Where'd you get that?" Steve called, jogging to keep up with him.

"It was on the ship." Bucky replied simply.

The inside of the house was pretty nice. It was a bit like their old room in the castle, except it was a little less nice. There was a functioning bathroom and shower, thank god, and a nice little four burner stove. The fridge was one Steve recognised, and there was even a small freezer underneath it.

Inside the door to their left, a small bedroom was hidden. There were two twin beds, and a shared bathroom. Steve set his duffle bag down on one of the mattresses, sighing.  _I guess this is home now._ He thought to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was really hard for me, I don't really know why. It just didn't flow right. Anyway, The next chapter should be up by Tuesday, maybe Wednesday. We'll see!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! So sorry this one took so long to upload, and that its so short. The next chapter should be out in a few days, if I can get back on schedule.

Bucky lay awake in bed that night, Unable to get comfortable. He rolled over, his mind wandering back to the conversation he had with Steve on the quinjet.  _I saw that look._ Steve had said.  _You were totally checking her out._ He furrowed his brow. Why would he have been checking her out? He had been staring off into the distance, and hadn't realized he was staring at a person yet.  _Could I have been_ less  _convincing?_ Apparently, the answer was no.

He rolled over, trying to dislodge the unsettling thoughts from his head. After what felt like hours, slowly, darkness took him over, and he was lost in the quiet sea of sleep.

"Bucky, wake up." The sound of Steve's voice was far away, but as Bucky was pulled from sleep, the voice became clearer and louder. "Bucky, we're going to be late."

"Okay. Coming." Bucky grunted without opening his eyes. He made no effort to move.

"Bucky, you lazy oaf! Get up!" Steve laughed playfully, and shook Bucky's shoulder.

"Fine, fine, fine." Bucky threw the covers off of himself, and rubbed his eyes. 

\-----

The sun was peeking out from behind the eastern mountains, shining gold rays of light across the countryside. Next to the lake, a few pastures stretched into the foothills of the mountains.

Bucky was walking next to Steve, leaning against him slightly. The morning was perfect.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Bucky asked sleepily. 

"Yes. See, there's the warehouse right out there, that's where they keep their animal feed." Steve gestured to a run-down building a little ways away. "After we load the feed into the carts, then we drive out to the goat pasture. In a few days, they transfer pastures, and we'll have to herd them for that."

Bucky nodded idly, his mind elsewhere. The sun was lighting up the greenery on either side of the path they walked, making the leaves glow. Soon, they approached the warehouse. Inside, there were lots of separate rooms, all branching off from a single hallway. Bucky imagined that a stable would look something like this. 

"Wait, how are we going to get the food there?" Bucky asked.

"I don't really know, to be honest." Steve replied. "All I know is that the goat section of the barn is coming up, and that's where we'll find the feed. Maybe just wander around a little, we'll find something."

Bucky eyed Steve, and smirked. "Are you sure you're going to be able to handle yourself in there?" 

Steve narrowed his eyes, and punched Bucky's arm teasingly. "Just go get your stuff."

Bucky smiled back at Steve, but his smile wavered. There was some type of exhilaration pumping through him, and he didn't understand it. The moment was gone as quickly as it had come. 

Bucky wandered around outside of the warehouse, before finding a stash of old golf carts. The keys were sitting in their seats. A sign over the doorway read 'Please return after use'.

He shrugged, and got into one of the parked golf carts. He inserted the keys into the slot, and started the engine. It spluttered to life, much to his relief. 

He honked the horn once. "Hey Steve!" He called. "I found a ride!" 

A second later, Steve appeared out of one of the doorways, with two huge bags of feed slung over his shoulder. "Where'd you get that?"

Bucky gestured to the garage he had left. "It was in there."

Steve rolled his eyes. "It looks like it's going to fall apart."

Bucky pretended to look offended. "It does not! It is beautiful."

Steve patted Bucky's leg as he walked by him to load the feed in the backseat. "Sure."

"Alright, where are we going?" Bucky asked, staring at the map in confusion.

Steve laughed at him. "Wow, can't even read a map anymore, can ya?"

Bucky smiled, pushing Steve away with a push of his arm. "Just give me a second."  _Okay, so we go down that road, towards the cow pasture, and take a left at the chicken coops, and the goat pasture will be on the left._

Feeling more confident now, Bucky pushed down on the gas pedal experimentally. The thing had the thrust of a lawnmower.  _Great._

Still, they chugged along, winding down narrow paths between pastures. Finally, the bleating of goats sounded ahead of them, and when they rounded the corner, the pasture came into view. Hung along the fence of the pasture were two little troughs, and one of them was filled with water. A gaggle of goats had gathered around the empty trough, and they were bleating angrily.

"Looks like someone's angry that their breakfast is late." Steve joked. He got out of the car and hoisted one of the bags over his shoulder. Bucky took the other, and together they walked down to the pasture. 

"Okay, so this one's dinner, so we don't have to feed them until sunset, so I'll go put mine over there." Steve gestured to a dusty wheelbarrow under a tree. "You feed the goats?"

"Sure."

Steve walked off in the direction of the tree, which was a little ways away.

The goats surged towards the falling food as Bucky poured it out of the canvas bag, and lots of pushing and shoving occured. He noticed a little skinny goat hanging back, and he could just see the goat's ribs jutting through its ragged pelt. 

Bucky scooped up a handful of feed, and walked towards the goat. It shied away from him.

"Hey, little buddy." He cooed soothingly. He held out his hand. "I got something for you."

The goat's ears pricked up at the sight of the food, and it took a few tentative steps towards him. "I'm not going to hurt you," Bucky said.

The goat finally got close to him, and took a small mouthful, chewing carefully. "There you go, little guy."

Unfortunately, a big goat broke away from the group, and shoved the little goat out of the way. "Hey!" Bucky interjected. He snatched the food from the big goats greedy mouth, watching in frustration as a crowd gathered around him, scaring the little goat away completely. "Don't worry, little goat." Bucky whispered. "I'll look after you."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry it's so short, I didn't have many acceptable ideas for this chapter. Feel free to comment any grammar mistakes or typo's I made.

Steve leaned against the fence, watching Bucky fend off the other goats to protect the meek little one.

"No! Back off!" Bucky was saying as he pushed away the other goats. Steve half-smiled. "Just let him eat! You already got your share!"

It was the third day that Bucky had done this. He always managed to find the same one, even though there were dozens of goats in the herd. 

Angry bleating sounded from the squirming mass. Bucky picked up the small goat in one hand, still sternly scolding the goats that were trying to get at the food he held. 

"Need help there, Buck?" Steve called, a smile on his lips.

Bucky shot Steve a dirty look, and continued picking through the herd carefully, as to not step on anyone. 

"No, you may not leave." Bucky said to the goats. "Yes, I'm taking him away, because you guys don't have any manners."

He set the small goat down in a nearby empty pen, and offered the small goat the food.

"Bucky, of course they don't have manners. They're goats."

"Well, excuse me for trying to be a decent human being." Bucky replied sassily. Steve smiled. For some weird reason, Steve found Bucky's love for the little goat extremely endearing.

Steve crossed his arms. "At least give him a name."

"I'm going to name him Pan." Bucky answered immediately. 

"Pan?" Steve raised his eyebrows. "As in Peter Pan? As in the book we read so many times as kids?"

Bucky laughed. "No, as in the Greek and Roman god of nature."

"No one will understand that."

"They will if they'd ever picked up a history textbook."

"Whatever."

Bucky went back to tending to Pan, who nibbled away at the food happily. The sight of Bucky, being so kind and gentle for the first time in decades, made Steve's heart smile.

\-----

Steve sat on the balcony, overlooking the lake and the dry mountain stream flowing into it. The late afternoon sunlight lit the pages of his book well, and he was able to read in peace, without worrying about the Avengers, or when his next mission would be.  _I  didn't realize how much I'd missed this._

He looked up from his book. The sound of a quinjet was echoing off the mountains.  _The delivery._

He rushed into the house, dropping his book on the countertop. "Bucky?" He called. "The delivery's here!"

He knocked on the door to the bedroom. "Bucky? Are you coming?"

Steve heard someone fumbling with the door, before Bucky opened it, sticking just his head out. His hair was wet. "Yeah, I just took a shower, so give me a minute."

"Oh. Well, I'll see you in a bit." 

Bucky closed the door, and Steve started walking towards the front door, his brow slightly furrowed. His heart had skipped a beat when he saw Bucky. It had never happened before, so why was it happening now?

He shook off his confusing thoughts and walked outside. Shuri was waiting outside of her aircraft. Sitting next to her was a big box. She caught sight of Steve, and smiled.

"Steve! I hope I'm not intruding on anything. Where's Bucky?" 

"He's inside." Steve responded.

"Well, would you like to take a look?" Without waiting for an answer, Shuri opened the box. Inside, an arm was nestled in a carved out section of the box. It looked like a real arm, instead of the shining metal one that Bucky used to have. "It's detachable, also. I thought he might like it."

Steve was at a loss for words. "It's amazing, Shuri. Thank you."

Steve turned around at the sound of a door opening. "Sorry!" Bucky called. He jogged down the pathway, and greeted Shuri politely. "Wow." He swallowed. "It's so... real."

"Do you like it?" Shuri picked up the arm from out of the box. "I can show you how to put it on, if you'd like."

"That'd be great, thanks."

Shuri took off a little section of the shoulder piece, and it loosened a bit, making the whole thing bigger. It was a medium sized circle with a type of black chrome mesh stretching over one end. "Okay, so you just put this," She pushed the flesh-colored ring onto Bucky's shoulder, and pressed a hidden button on its underside. It clicked into place. "on your shoulder like this." She then picked up the arm itself, and thrust it into place with a click. The color blended seamlessly with Bucky's skin tone, and he gave his fingers an experimental wiggle. "The shoulder piece draws energy from skin contact of any kind, and the more contact it has with skin, the more power it draws. How does it feel?"

"It feels like an actual arm." Bucky murmured. "My arm."

Shuri reached out and patted Bucky twice on his shoulder. "I'm glad you like it. I recommend taking it off at night, it'll be more comfortable that way. It's also waterproof, so if you ever want to go swimming, you don't have to take it off." A little beep went off, and she pressed the third bead on her bracelet, quickly reading a message. She turned back to them. "I'll be going now, but if you need anything, you know where I'll be." She clicked a button on the box, and wheels ejected from the bottom. It followed her back into the craft, and she waved to them as the hanger door slid closed.

Bucky closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. "God, this is so nice."

"I take it it's much better than your old one?" Steve asked.

Bucky nodded. "I guess I just kind of forgot what it's like to have a left arm that doesn't feel jerky or unpredictable."

Steve smiled, genuinely happy for his friend, but felt another strange jolt when Bucky smiled back.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm probably going to get a big chunk of time to work on the next chapter on Friday, so expect it to be posted Sunday, at the very latest. To all of my African friends, I apologize for completely making up a holiday.

"So... what does he want us to do?" Bucky asked again. He was still unclear on what Steve was telling him, despite having had it explained to him twice.

Steve sighed. "The winter festival is coming up, and they don't have enough volunteers this year, so T'Challa wants us to help set it up." 

Bucky pursed his lips. "You couldn't have just said that first?"

"Well, I wanted to be respectful and use the native names,"

Bucky smirked. "Steve, you don't even know what they mean." 

Steve whacked him in the stomach lightly. "I do. I know ebuskia means winter, and umkhosi means festival, and it's the ebuskia umkhosi, so winter festival."

"Okay, fine, but will I be able to see Pan much?" Bucky asked

"I... don't know. Probably not, but maybe." 

"Uh-huh. So, it'll be just work then."

Strange as it may seem, Bucky liked hearing the sound of Steve's voice. It was comforting and familiar in a way no one else's was.

Steve looked at Bucky, then at the papers scattered around the bed. "We're gonna have a lot of work to do."

In the following days, Steve and Bucky had informed the farmers that they would not be able to take care of the animals until the ebuskia umkhosi was over. Of course, they understood, and gave him a date to start back up.

"Steve, what does that mean?" Bucky was looking at a little glowing orb that was beeping repeatedly. Without a second thought, Steve reached out and touched it.

A holograph appeared, displaying a formal-looking woman well into her fifties. "Hello. My name is Daliah. I am the main event manager. I heard that you guys would be helping plan the festival this year, and would like to help you." Something about Daliah's tone told Bucky that she didn't really want to work with them, but had been ordered to do so.

"Thank you, Daliah." Steve said. "We could really use the help."

Every day, Daliah would tell Steve and Bucky what they had to do for the day to stay on schedule, and every day, Steve and Bucky spent hours together, trying to figure out how everything for the festival was going to work, and calling around to get decorations in place.

One day, though, Bucky had decided that he needed a break.

"A day off? Are we talking today or next week?" Daliah asked skeptically. 

"As soon as possible." Bucky replied. "Please."

Daliah clicked around on the holographic table in front of her. "Well, I can get you one in seventeen days, but you'll have to make up for the time lost during your days before then."

Steve nodded vigorously. "Whatever it takes. Thank you so much, Daliah."

Daliah hardly acknowledged his thanks. "Uh huh. I've got to go. See you tomorrow." She disconnected quickly.

Bucky took a deep breath and brushed the hair out of his face. "Seventeen days. That's-"

"-Better than we'd thought." Steve finished pointedly. "At least we can have one at all."

"Yeah." Bucky agreed. For a second, Steve and Bucky held eye contact, but then Bucky looked away. "We should probably get to work."

\-----

Time dragged on, and Bucky was counting down the hours before his break. He spent his entire day with Steve, and he was noticing little things about his behavior that he hadn't before, like the way he always closed his eyes when he sneezed, and the way his smile touched his eyes when he laughed. He felt himself finding joy in the smallest interactions he had with Steve, and how sometimes, he would replay moments with Steve in his head, over and over, right before he fell asleep.

Bucky was awoken by the harsh sound of his alarm clock going berserk. Groaning, he smacked it, and felt it crack under the force.

"Every time, Buck." Steve said from across the room, a smile in his tone. "Every time we get you a new alarm clock, you always break it on the first day of using it."

"Okay, not every time." Bucky grumbled. "One lasted two days."

Steve laughed. "Oh, so long. Maybe I should just wake you every morning." He proceeded to make a ridiculous beeping noise.

"Shush." Bucky said, rolling over.

"Not until you get out of bed." Steve kept beeping, until Bucky went over to him and smacked him on top of his head lightly.

 "Don't like being my alarm clock so much anymore, do you?" Bucky teased.

"But I got you out of bed."

Bucky narrowed his eyes, only slightly annoyed at himself. "Little buttface."

Steve glared at him playfully. "What did you call me?"

Bucky returned the look. "Little buttface." He said louder.

Steve jumped up from his bed, tackling Bucky. They tussled for a while, until Bucky pinned Steve down by straddling his stomach, his forearm across Steve's throat. 

"What're you gonna do about it, little buttface?" Bucky taunted. Steve looked up at him, and there was something different in his gaze. All of the sudden, a new image was forming in Bucky's mind, in a moonlit bedroom-

He quickly got off of Steve, holding out a hand to help him up. Steve laughed awkwardly, obviously trying to dismiss the strange moment they'd shared.

For the rest of the day, Bucky was in a haze, the look in Steve's eyes lingering in his mind. He was still able to focus on his work, which was good, because the day off was approaching, and Bucky needed to be able to act normal.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the delay, the chapter went on a LOT longer than I expected, and there wasn't really any good place to cut it off. My weekend was also busier than expected, so I had hardly any time to write except for late at night. Hope you enjoy!

Steve sat on his bed, his reading light on. Even though it was their day off, he still woke up routinely early. He looked up from his book, watching as the sky turned milky white with the approaching dawn. He remembered looking into Bucky's eyes, wishing he could feel-

No. Not again. He held his head in his hands, trying to shake off the fantasy that was threatening to create in his head.

_No, it's normal to wonder these things about your best friend._ Steve thought to himself.  _I'm sure it happens to everyone._ Even though he was almost convinced, the little part of him that still had sense left was saying,  _It is not normal to think about kissing your best friend._ He shoved that part down, refusing to accept his feelings.  _This can't be happening._

Beside him, Bucky groaned quietly, signaling that he was waking up. "'Morning." Bucky said, his voice gruff from underuse.

"'Morning." Steve replied automatically, his voice equally gruff. He heard the bathroom door open and close, and he got up, going to the kitchen to get some coffee. 

Unfortunately, the coffee did not help with any of his conflicting thoughts, and they still banged around in his head after he had finished his cup. He looked over his shoulder when he heard footsteps across the hardwood floor.

"What d'ya wanna do today?" Bucky asked tiredly, the last remnants of sleep still clinging to him.

"I don't really know," Steve confessed. "Maybe a hike? I heard that there are a few nice views up the hill."

Bucky pondered for a moment. "That actually sounds really nice." He smiled. "I'm in."

Steve smiled too. "Great. I'll go get the trail map. Can you grab a water bottle for me?"

"Sure."

Steve turned towards the front door, heading down to the rangers station. While he walked, he let his mind flow freely, consciously avoiding thinking about Bucky. 

He approached the station and went in. There were a few souvenirs here and there, but the station's shop mainly consisted of camping and hiking gear.

"Hello, sir. How may I help you today?" The man at the counter asked. He looked no older than sixteen.

"Two trail maps, please." He said politely.

"Oh. We've got free trail maps right over there, by the cashier." The boy responded.

"Thank you. Have a nice day!" 

"You too, sir."

Steve grabbed one of the trail maps and headed out back to the house. There was little birdsong, it being deep into November, and watery sunlight was cast over the valley, slowly thawing the frosted grass. There were gray clouds on the horizon, signalling the approach of a storm.  _Well, lets hope it doesn't come before the hike,_ Steve thought to himself.

He knocked on the front door to his house, and Bucky opened it. "Hey. You got the trail map?" He asked.

Steve held up the two pamphlets. "Yup. One for you and one for me."

Bucky reached out and took one of the maps from Steve, opening it to analyze the trails. Steve did the same.

"Hey, this one looks pretty cool. It's called the 'Firgrove Ridge Trail'. It overlooks a lake seventy six feet above." Bucky read from the description. He traced his finger down it on Steve's map.

"Sure. It looks nice." Steve said. He gestured to a little dirt path winding up the mountain "It's that one, right?"

Bucky looked down at the map, then back up at the path. "Yeah, I think. Let's try it."

They started down the path, heading up into the foothills, then into the mountains. There were indeed a lot of fir trees, which puzzled Steve.

"Why are there so many firs here? It's africa." He wondered aloud. 

"Well, it says here that they planted them a long time ago to trap moisture, because the mountains were too dry to live in." Bucky said. "Though it doesn't say  _why_ they trap moisture, but it does seem like they do."

Steve nodded, looking around at the wet earth and the shining leaves that were coated thoroughly with frost. 

The conversation continued on peacefully. It relaxed Steve to be able to just talk with someone like this, not having to watch any boundaries or stay away from any subject.

As they climbed towards the mountain's summit, looming clouds had gathered, assuring the first snowfall of the year. 

"Those clouds do not look good," Bucky noted. "Hopefully the worst of the storm will happen after we're gone."

Steve nodded in agreement, looking worriedly at the soon-to-be storm. 

"Well, we can handle a little snow, because of this cool snow gear I got for us at the rangers station a few weeks ago." Steve said lightheartedly. He could hardly feel any cold through his jacket, even though it was below freezing outside. 

Bucky smiled. "Yes, I thank you O' Great One."

Steve smiled too. "C'mon. You know you love me." 

Bucky rolled his eyes at Steve's words. "You sure are lucky I do. You couldn't get by without me."

"Excuse me?" Steve pretended to look offended. "Who was the one who came all the way out here to be with you?"

Bucky put his arm over Steve's shoulder and smiled, knowing there was nothing he could say to that. The unexpected contact sent a ping of adrenaline through Steve for a moment.

They passed the summit of the trail, and saw the lake for the first time. "Wow." Steve breathed. "It's beautiful."

Bucky nodded. "Yeah."

They stood staring at the valley for a while, before they kept going, making their way farther down the trail. A few small snowflakes started to fall.

"Look Steve, it's snowing!" Bucky said happily.

Steve looked around, smiling. "Yeah." He paused. "I missed this."

Bucky stopped to turn and look at him. "Missed what?"

"Being with you, out in nature." Steve felt himself blushing, and tried to will it away, hoping Bucky would take it as a reaction to the cold.

"Me too." Bucky gazed at Steve for a second, and Steve felt his heart speed up. He looked away and continued walking, and Bucky did the same. 

The snowfall did not stop, and the snowflakes began to get bigger, until Steve needed to put his hood up. 

The snowstorm kept ramping up, until Steve couldn't see ten feet in front of him. "Wow. This storm is really ramping up." He noted.

"Yeah." Bucky shook his map to clear the gathering snow on it. "There's a little cafe slash hotel on the center of the trail, so we can stay there until the storm moves on." 

"Sounds like a plan. Do we have any money?"

Bucky paused for a panicking second. "Yes," He said slowly. "Yes, I think so."

Steve sighed with relief. "Good, thats good."

Finally, the glowing yellow of the cafes lights cut through the thick snow, and the silhouette was just barely visible. 

They walked through the sliding doors, and Steve was thankful for the new clarity of his vision. The front desk was the first thing Steve saw, and the cafe was behind it, more near the back of the room. It was how you'd expect a lodge mid-mountain on a ski slope, with a nice fireplace and windows on all of the walls. Against a wall, a small coffee bar was stationed, ran by an extremely tired looking woman.

The woman picked her head up when she heard the pair walk in. "Hello and welcome to Seventh Heaven Hotel Cafe. How may I help you?" She recited automatically.

"Two hot chocolates please." Bucky said. "Extra whipped cream on one of them."

Steve smiled ever so slightly. He remembered when he would go with Bucky to cafes in Brooklyn when they were kids, and they would always get that exact order. Somehow, something so simple could make him happy. 

They sat down on one of the couches that faced the fireplace, stripping the snow gear that they no longer needed in the warm cafe. 

They talked for a while, and for a blissful minute, Steve could forget about his confusing feelings, and could just appreciate Bucky's company. He was relieved that they could sit so close and not be called fags by people around them, like they used to. Pretty soon after that had become a pattern, they had learned that the place to hold hands and snuggle was at home. But in the twentieth century, no one would ever call them that again.

The snowstorm lasted longer than anticipated, and soon Steve noticed it getting dark outside. "Buck, how long have we been here?"

Bucky looked down at his watch, "Three hours, maybe?" He peered out the window. "And probably a few more."

Steve pursed his lips. "Well, I guess we should get a room soon, then, and maybe eat something besides hot chocolate."

"That's a good idea. You get the room, and I'll get some food. Hopefully they'll have some hamburgers at least."

Steve left his jacket by the fire next to Bucky's and walked over to the front desk. "Hello. Do you have any rooms available tonight?" He asked.

The receptionist clicked around on his computer for a minute. "Yes, we do. actually, there are a lot of choices, if you'd like to look."

Several long minutes later, Steve had finally completed the transaction, and had a room booked in the D building on the second floor. Bucky had found some food, two burgers and a soggy salad. They ate for a while, before going to the room to find out how they'd be sleeping. 

"How big is the room?" Bucky asked as they walked down the outdoor hallway. The snow was piling on the railings and coating the trees just beyond them.

"Uh, one bed, a bathroom." Steve said. "Not ideal, but it was the cheapest option."

"And, we don't have any clothes to sleep in, other than the stuff we're wearing."

"I guess we'll just sleep in that, then."

"Brushing teeth?"

Steve laughed. "Jesus, Buck, you're so full of questions. Yes, there will be toothbrushes in the bathroom."

Bucky grumbled something that Steve couldn't quite catch, and they walked on in silence.

As soon as Steve unlocked the door, Bucky flopped down on the bed with a sigh. Steve took off all of his snow gear, leaving only his pants and t-shirt, then went to the bathroom to use one of the two spare toothbrushes to brush his teeth. 

When he got out of the bathroom, Bucky was still lying on the bed, and he hadn't moved at all. 

Steve tapped his shoulder. "Bucky, it's getting late, we should go to bed."

Bucky grumbled incoherently for a second, and then got up to go about his bedtime routine as well. Steve got into bed and settled down on the flat pillows, but he didn't mind. He was thankful that he even had a place to sleep for the night, and for the jackets that didn't exist back in his time.

Bucky climbed into bed next to him, and nestled his head in the crook of Steve's neck. "This is nice." Bucky said softly. "We haven't done this in so long, I didn't realize how much I've missed it."

"Me too." Steve replied, though the contact made him feel different than it had before.

Bucky picked up his head and turned to face him. "Steve?"

"Yeah?" Bucky was so close to him, and he could so easily-  _Nope. Not going there, not now._

Bucky looked like he was about to say something, but he decided against it. "Good night."

"Good night, Buck."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everybody! I have minimum days for the rest of this week, so hopefully I'll be able to get some more writing in that wasn't generated by my brain at 2 am. Enjoy!

Bucky awoke in Steve's arms, feeling more content than he had in a long time. Somehow, it just felt right to be this close to Steve, and his mood dampened when he realized that he would likely not fall asleep like this again, at least not for a while. 

Outside, the snow was still coming down, lighter, though. There was still a good foot of untouched powder outside, shining with the day's dawn.

He realized that they would need to work that day with a start, and he rolled over regretfully to text Daliah.

_Where are you?_ Her unread message was already in his inbox.

_Sorry. We got caught in a snowstorm on our day long hike, and we had to stay the night out here. It might be a while until we can make it back._

Bucky could practically feel the frustration in her reply. _I'm not happy with you two. I already barely scraped together a day off for you guys, and you need another what, half day? How far down the trail did you get?_

_Maybe six miles? We got to this hotel around 1:30_

_Fine. You'll have to do all of the days work when you get home, then. I can't get behind schedule._

Bucky groaned. Maybe this day off wasn't such a good idea.

_Okay._ He texted.  _I'll see you then._

Daliah doesn't respond, which worries Bucky more than it should. 

Beside him, Steve rolled over and wrapped his arms around Bucky's torso, making him freeze up.

"Steve, what-" He was silenced once more when Steve nuzzled him a little. _H_ _e's still half asleep. He doesn't know what he's doing._ Bucky laughed slightly. "Steve, you big oaf!"

He barely seemed to respond to Bucky's words, but he stopped nuzzling him, and instead pulled him closer.

"Mornin', Buck." He murmured.

"Mornin'," Bucky mumbled back, still a little conscious of his position in Steve's embrace. "We should get up."

"Yeah, um, okay." Steve awkwardly wiggled out from underneath Bucky, and got out of bed, and Bucky heard the bathroom door shut.

Bucky lay in bed for another minute, his hand clasping his forehead.  _Stupid, so stupid._ He wondered why he even felt awkward cuddling with Steve, he had done just that countless times in the wintertime when Steve was still small and weak, and he wondered why Steve made his heart skip a beat sometimes.  _This isn't what's supposed to happen to friends. A friendship is not supposed to feel this way._

Shaking off his disturbing thoughts, Bucky got out of bed, joining Steve in the bathroom. He picked up his toothbrush tiredly, and squeezed some toothpaste out of the tiny bottle. "We should start heading back, you know. Daliah is going to be expecting us."

Steve froze. "Oh god, I totally forgot about the job. We do need to get going." 

They rushed to get their stuff on, and shut the door quickly behind them. The snow had slowed to a light pace, with just microscopic snowflakes, but it was definitely still snowing. "It's gonna be hard to walk back in all this snow." Bucky remarked.

"Let's hope that the trees caught most of it," Steve shuttered. "And that they don't unload it on us."

Bucky laughed nervously. "Yeah, lets hope."

They returned their room key into the front desk, payed, and went on their way home. 

Thankfully, Steve was right. The trees had caught most of the snow, and there were only a few splotches where there was more than a thin dusting on the ground. 

It was nearly 2:00 by the time they arrived at home, and they were tired and dirty.  

"I call the shower first." Bucky said as soon as they stepped through the door.

He rushed into the bathroom and locked the door, and took a breath, before stepping into the shower. He turned on the water and let it soothe him after the hike, but now that he was without distraction, his thoughts began to threaten to return to Steve. 

Bucky dried himself off quickly, and went to get a clean set of clothes. Feeling more fresh now, he opened the door, and joined Steve in the main room to keep working.

\-----

They were trying to create the blueprint for the fair late into the night, and Bucky's watch read 12:13pm. "Steve, we should go to bed."

Steve dropped his pencil in frustration. "We need to finish this." 

Bucky put his hand on Steve's shoulder gently. "We can finish it tomorrow. Sleep is more important."

Steve shrugged his hand off. "No!" He snapped. "You go to bed if sleep's so important."

Feeling slightly hurt, Bucky walked out of the room and got into bed. Despite his sleepiness, and indignation still rose inside him, but he pushed it down. _What's changed? We never used to quarrel before._ He sighed, rolling over.  _He's not trying do be difficult. He's just stressed out because the fair's tomorrow._

His thoughts put a damper on his anger, but he still felt sad as he slowly drifted off.

 

He was waken the next morning by a gentle hand tapping him. 

"Hey." Steve said. His eyelids were drooping, and he looked extremely tired. He smiled shyly.

Bucky was confused for a moment, before the memories of the night before came trickling back.  _Oh right._ Bucky rolled over and sat up.

"Look, I'm sorry about last night." Steve said sincerely. "I, I don't really know why I snapped like that."

Bucky gave a small smile. "It's fine. You know I can't stay mad at you."

Steve hesitated for a split second, and then pulled Bucky into a hug. "It doesn't matter. I shouldn't've done it."

Any last remnants of his frustration with Steve's behavior evaporated within seconds. "Well I forgive you." He smirked, his previously solemn tone gone. "Just don't do it again." 

"I will if you keep saying things like that." Steve joked back.

"Thats fair."

"But I did finish it. You wanna see?" Steve said eagerly.

"Does it involve going back to sleep?" Bucky asked, only half joking.

"What do you think?"

"I think it involves going back to sleep." Bucky flopped back down onto his bed.

"Oh, not so fast." Steve reached down and picked Bucky up with ease, carrying him bridal style. "We are starting the day."

Bucky squirmed in his grip, before giving up and making his best puppy eyes at Steve. "Can I go down now?"

Steve grinned and booped the tip of Bucky's nose. "Nope." 

Unfortunately for both of them, Steve tripped.

Bucky was lying under Steve, and both of them were laughing hysterically. Bucky pointed to his elbow, where a growing bruise was forming "Look what you did!"

"Hah. You cousined my fall." Steve smirked, his face inches from Bucky's.

Bucky gazed into Steve's usually intense eyes that were now filled with humor, and then to his lips.

Suddenly, he realized what he was doing, and stopped abruptly.

"Stehv," He said in a weird tone. "You're crushin meh."

Steve laughed good heartedly. "Fine, fine. I'm getting up, but now we have to go finish the last preparations before we leave for Wakanda City."

Bucky groaned. "Don't remind me."


End file.
